Ingredients

Directions

1In a large microwave-safe bowl, heat the butter on high for 45 seconds. Swirl. Heat for an additional 45 seconds, or until melted.

2Stir the mini marshmallows into the butter. Then, microwave for 45 seconds. Stir well. Microwave for another 45 seconds. Stir. The marshmallows should be melted.

3In a large mixing bowl, pour all the Cheerios™. Drizzle with the marshmallow mixture. Stir to combine.

4Line a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick aluminum foil (alternately, line it with aluminum foil and grease well). Pour the Cheerios™ mixture into the pan, and with wet hands press down into one flat layer.

5Sprinkle the multi-colored mini marshmallows on top and press down firmly to set.

Step By Step

Mmm! How about a homemade cereal bar that is easy to whip up and that kids love?

As prepared by S Caron,March 12, 2011

These Super Fruity Bars are perfect!

To some kids, if you put ‘super’ in front of anything, it becomes instantly stupendous. The other night, my son was having a rare moment of veggie resistance (he generally loves ‘em), but I convinced him to finish his veggies, telling him that they would give him super vision. He loved the idea of seeing through walls, and gobbled them right down.

(In all fairness, they were carrots, which are known for having nutrients that help with eyesight, so I wasn’t really totally making it up. I swear.)

So, when I was thinking of a name for this recipe (which went through way too many iterations before today), I wanted something fun. Something that you’ll want to say. Something everyone will remember. Enter Super Fruity Bars.

Super Fruity Bars are made with my son’s very favorite variety of Cheerios (or so he told me today): Fruity Cheerios.

Like those fantabulous crispy treats that we all grew up with, these bars are held together with a marshmallow-butter concoction.

And then they are sprinkled with the cutest pastel-hued mini marshmallows. Sure, these aren’t as good for you as, say, eating fruit. But look at them! They are bright and colorful and oh-so-fun.

And besides, your kids (or friends or coworkers or whoever) will probably surprise you with big hugs. Well, mine did, at least.

Sarah W. Caron (aka scaron) is a food writer, editor and blogger who writes about family-friendly foods and raising a healthy family at Sarah’s Cucina Bella.